The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-13
Irrs..sa BY Special ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 1871
THE STORY | HEARD ON THE CARS
BY MRS. e. v. WILSON.
Author of RACHEL" "A FATAL PREscRIP
TON" and Other Stories.


TIoN," and Other Stories.
It was very tiresome riding OF the cars all day,
with the same monotonous stretch of prairie to
be seen from the window; SO / am sure it was
Of my fellow passengers.
just behind me they had reversed the car-seat
and were riding backwardsl, sat two elderly
women old friends, it seemed who had CHANGED
to meet in their journeying: and it was a SEN
tence or two in their talk that caught my atten-
ton, and presently became so interested that
no longer felt my WEAKNESS
''And so,r said one, you say they are Twin
ell alone in that big house OF theirn. knowed
the girls was all married an gone, but 1 heerd
Jim had TUX wife home to live with the old
folks, and said to Simon says I, well, it'll take
more'n a mortal woman to live with Mary Ann
Curtis, onless she's nightly changed sence
use ter know her. says l."
WELL" said the other voice, and sweet,
understanding voice it was-so sweet. indeed,
that glanced around to look at Its owner. She
was little, quaint old woman with soft brown
eyes and a pathetic, lovable face fell in love
with her at once. Her companion was a younger
woman, with shrewd. black observing eyes and
sharp nose and chin. From appearances and
manner judged both were wives Of welIto-do
farmers.
WELL" said the sweet voice. "Jim did marry
mortal woman but Mary Ann soon made a
angel ont of her. knowed Jim Curtis's wife as
we'll as if she'd ben my own child; and no won
der. SEEM as she boarded with me and Jonathan
nigh onto year. You see, she was left an
orphan, and her uncle that raised her not
bein' well off, give her what schoolin' he could,
an then when she was about sixteen year old
he got her first the summer school in our
deestric, and then as she suited the folks, the
directors they let her have it fur the winter. 1
was sort O feared for her to tackle the winter
school, SEEM as some of the big boys. and
girls too for that matter, pritty obstreperous,
bur Rhody she laughed and tossed her head an
said, III get along. Aunt Nancyr You know
everybody in the neighborhood calls me Aunt
Nancy, and Rhody she picked it up as natral as
could be-
WELL she did manage, somehow, an never
had a bit of trouble An l use ter watch o.
ovenin's for her to come, allus smilin' and with
somethin' funny to tell about the scholars
declare to you, Mis- johnson, if she'd ben our
her. Why, whenever it was rainy or snowy the
ole man would saddle horse an GO for her. an
she'd look that cute, settin' benin on ole Molly
an holdin' on to the ole man!
"One cold evenin' lit was a Friday evenin,
too I'll never forgit it, iist as Jonathan got the
saddle on the mare we heard sleigh bells, for 1
was out at the fence talkin' to the ole man, an
who should come sailin' mp the road, large as
life, but Jim Curtis in his new sleigh, with cur
Rhody, smilin' and rosy beside him. There,
ole man. says |, your cakes dough- And de-
clare fur it eff he warn't that cut mp that he
eonld scarce be civil to the youngsters.
"Of course you know how it was after that
NO needcessitv for the ole man botherin' any
more not at it was bother, for he allus liked
eo,n' fer Rhody; but laws! Jim was allus on
hand, no matter how the weather was, an he
tux her to her uncle's two or three times and to
meetin Sundays. an / up an tole her one day
that b'lieved I'd ask Jim to board with us, an
her face got mighty red an che stepped up an
put both arms roun' my neck, she was such a
lovin' leetle critter. an says she You amt mad.
Aunt Nancy. are you2 You like Jim, don't your
but I'd like to know what this deestric's goin' to
do fur teacher.
.'tOh,' she says, b!ushin' more AN ever, 4 am
goin' to teach my school out
AN then WHAT saysI
Then I'll tell you, she says, and run off,
lauehin'.
$50 says to the ole man that night, after
we'd Como to bed, says !. Jonathan, Rhody il
goin' to marry Jim Curtis. an dunno whether
to be glad or sorry
SAN he laughed till the bed shuk, an, says
he why, what on 'arth is Their to be sorry
boutf says he, Their amt likelier Teller n the
neiehborhood than Jim; an. as for Rhody;
pshaw. she's good enough an$purty 'nough tol
"'Oh,' says I, saint that-they're both vel
'nough but hows our little girl goin to git along
with Mis- CurtisP"
YES" interrupted Mrs. johnson. appreciat
ewn1x hat hat Ia
'em go there to live fort That's what want tt
know. Nancy Rileyp
.'Well," sighed Aunt Nancy, 81 did try to pre-
vent 1t. talked to Rhody, but she thought sh
she loved her already, pore thing Then ] tul
Jim to task, an he said the ole folks weren'
within fur him to leave 'em. his father was gittir
old, an there were lots O. rooms in the house, ar
bis mother was glad he was go,n' to marry ar
bring his wife there, she was 50 lonesome nov
oil her girls were gone, an heap more sic
stuf."
Lonesome, indeedw snapped Mrs. johnson
''Sho WAS glad to git rid of her girls, so sh
was! Laws! don't mind what times them poo
girls had to git decent clothes3 She jis
erudeed EN- everything, and KEEP EN- workir
like was goin' to say darkys, but no dark
ever worked like old Mis- Curtis made her girls
No wonder they mp an TUX the first Teller "a
came along an asked 'em. But stopped got
Aunt Nancy-excuse me-for / knowed Mi
Curtis so well. The idea of her a-bein' lone
some! She wanted somebody to help with th
work. she did Her own girls got away rs 500
as they could. That Jim must "a been FOOL"
''Oh, no, he wasn't" went on the soft voice
It's mighty little young feller like him know
about homework. an his mothers work neve
bothered him. So as soon as Rhody's school wa
out in the spring they was married. You Sc
her uncle thought for a pore girl she was dol
pretty we'll, an low she was eff she had bee
jos marryin' Jim Curtis. but abe warn't-she wa
tyin' of herself TO his mother"
''More fool. Jim, snarled Mrs. johnson.
'Now, Mis- Johnson" said Aunt Nancy. "Jir
meant well. an he worshiped the very groun
Rhody walked or, but you old Mis- Curt
she didn't believe in young folks maxim simpl
tons Of themselves, and when she see Jim s
his arm 'rouu' Rhody or her run her har
through his curly hair. she'd snap out somethiu
sort o. hateful, SO Rhody she got afraid of he
tlaro,s rh.as